The Ferris Wheel
by WaltonPrairieGirl
Summary: Fall 1939. Based on the season 5 episode. Rated K for some sleepwalking/dangerous scenes.
1. Chapter 1

**Credit for direct quotes from this episode goes to the writers and producers of "The Waltons."**

 _Most of our memories of growing up on Waltons Mountain are good ones. But there did come a time in the Fall of 1939 when a dark remembrance from Elizabeth's childhood rose to haunt everybody in our house._

 **October 30, 1939**

 _Haunting music was playing on a terrifying Ferris wheel ride._

" _Please someone, let me down!" 11-year old Elizabeth Walton called out. "Come on, somebody, let me down!" the girl's cries were incessant._

 _The Ferris wheel kept spinning faster and faster. The poor girl felt like she was going to fall off the crazy ride!_

" _I'm gonna fall! Somebody let me off!" Screamed Elizabeth. Still no one came to her aid._

" _Somebody, let me down!"_

 _Faster and faster the ride spun. What had begun as fun was now torture! The girl was about to jump off the ride. This wasn't fun anymore!_

 _Finally, the ride stopped. Unfortunately, Elizabeth's car was at the top._

 _The girl cringed as she looked down at the Ferris wheel frame and how far she was from the ground. Her head spun. She began to get dizzy and not see things clearly. Elizabeth felt like she was in a fog!_

 _She thought she might throw up. Suddenly, she felt herself falling out of the Ferris wheel car. She gasped, unable to breathe. She thought she might die! The ground seemed so far away. She screamed._

 _Suddenly, she heard a thud sound. She realized she had hit something._

Elizabeth opened her eyes as she fell down the stairs of her home. It had all been a dream. But how did she get to the stairs.

Elizabeth gasped for a few seconds. Then she did the only thing she thought to do.

"Mama!" the frightened girl called for her mother.

Elizabeth began to cry.

The lights turned on. John and Olivia rushed to their daughter.

"Elizabeth!" Olivia gasped.

"Oh Elizabeth! Is she okay?" John was concerned.

"She scared me to death!" Jason gasped.

Zeb and Esther came out from their room, right next to where Elizabeth had fallen. The elderly couple surveyed the scene.

"What's goin' on up there?" Zeb asked.

John spoke to his father. "Pa, it's Elizabeth. She's had a dream."

"That's the second dream she's had this week." Esther remarked, concerned about her granddaughter. "Something's working on that child."

Joy held onto Erin's hand.

"Is she okay?" Erin asked.

"She's all right." John said, helping Elizabeth to her feet. "Stand up, Honey. Are you all right? Does it hurt?"

John picked Elizabeth up and carried her up the stairs. "Back to bed everyone." He said. "It's all right Honey, it's all right." He assured Elizabeth.

The children did as their father said and returned to their rooms.

John set gently Elizabeth down on her bed. Olivia sat next to her, put her arms around her, and let her cry.

Joy sat next to Erin on her bed.

"Shh…" Olivia soothed Elizabeth.

"I couldn't get off!" Elizabeth choked out.

"You're dreaming about that Ferris wheel again." Said Olivia.

Elizabeth nodded. "Then it started going faster." Elizabeth gasped, still catching her breath. "And then I started to fall!"

"Well you're safe now."

Elizabeth sobbed.

"It's all right." Olivia whispered, rocking Elizabeth.

"Can you leave the lights on?" Elizabeth asked.

Olivia smiled. "I'm gonna stay right here with you until you're asleep."

"You don't have to do that Mama. Elizabeth, you can sleep with me if you'd like." Erin offered.

Elizabeth nodded.

"Thanks Erin." Olivia smiled.

Erin gave Joy a hug and the 4-year old returned to her own bed.

Elizabeth went over to her older sister's bed and climbed in. Olivia tucked the girls in.

Erin stroked Elizabeth's hair.

"Do you want me to sit here for a while?" Olivia asked.

"I'll be all right." Elizabeth said. Her voice almost sounded like she would cry again.

"Are you sure?" Olivia asked.

Elizabeth nodded her head. "Yeah."

Erin rubbed Elizabeth's shoulder.

Olivia smiled and nodded to the light. "I'm gonna leave that light on right there." She bent down and hugged her daughter. "Oh, it's all right Sweetheart." She brushed Elizabeth's tears away.

Olivia went over and kissed Joy. "Goodnight Darling."

"Night Mama."

Olivia walked by Erin and Elizabeth's bed. Olivia took hold of Elizabeth's hand. "All right?"

Elizabeth nodded.

Olivia walked over to the other side of the bed. She bent down and kissed Erin's forehead. "Goodnight Erin."

"Night Mama."

"I'm gonna leave the door wide open and leave the light on in the hallway, all right?"

The girls nodded.

Olivia smiled. "Night."

Erin looked at Elizabeth. Elizabeth began sobbing again. Erin hugged her.


	2. Chapter 2

**October 30, 1939**

Olivia walked into her and John's bedroom. John and Jason were there.

"It's the same dream she had last time." Said Olivia. "About being on a Ferris wheel and not bein' able to get off."

"It's probably about the Fall carnival coming." John suggested.

"It's hard to tell what a dream like that could mean." Jason admitted.

"It's the sleepwalking that worries me." Olivia said.

"Well it she settled down now?" John asked.

"She's in Erin's bed. I think she'll sleep through the night." Olivia said. She walked over to the bed and crawled in.

"Goodnight Son. We'll leave the door open just in case." John said.

"All right." Jason said. Before leaving his parents' room, he turned around. "Goodnight Mama."

 **October 31, 1939**

In the early hours of Tuesday morning, Elizabeth opened her eyes. Erin and her had fallen asleep, hugging. Elizabeth realized that it was still nighttime. She carefully removed her sister's arm from around her and rolled over onto her back. The visions she remembered from her nightmare came back.

 _The Ferris wheel kept turning faster. Faster. Faster._

 _The haunting music returned to her memory. What normally sounded like fun, playful music now sounded like something from the Halloween movies that were playing at the theatre this week._

 _Elizabeth felt like she was falling._

" _Somebody, let me down!"_

Elizabeth began crying again. She looked over at her younger sister's bed. Joy was sound asleep. She looked to her right. Erin was asleep in bed next to her as well. Elizabeth covered her head with her pillow and cried.

That morning, John-Boy came to the house to pick up Jason for school. The brothers had gone to school at the local university the past two years together. John-Boy's major was journalism while Jason's was music.

"Good morning, Family. Is Jason ready?" John-Boy asked.

"He should be down soon. I'm finishing his lunch." Olivia replied.

John-Boy sat down next to Elizabeth and Jim Bob. He got a cup of coffee, adding a spoonful of sugar and some milk to his drink.

"Do you need anything else to eat, John-Boy?" Olivia offered.

"Oh no, Jenny made more than enough." John-Boy chuckled.

Jim Bob turned to Elizabeth. "You know I had a dream once that a Martian came out from the Rockfish Bridge? He had big hairy ears and yellow eyes just like a dragonfly. Was your dream as scary as that?"

"Jim Bob, if you talk about dreams, you can walk to school by yourself!" Elizabeth got up and left the table.

"You know tonight's Halloween, right?" Jim Bob teased.

"Don't remind me!" Elizabeth scolded, running upstairs.

Jim Bob got up from the table. "I don't know what she's so grouchy about anyways."

"I don't think we should keep reminding of her of something she'd rather forget." Olivia said.

John-Boy looked up from his cup of coffee. "Did I miss something?"

"Elizabeth walked in her sleep last night. She fell down the stairs. She keeps talking about nightmares involving a Ferris wheel. I personally think I'm gonna keep her home from Halloween tonight. That child doesn't need any more scaring than she's already gotten." Olivia explained.

John-Boy was curious. "Is this the first time she walked in her sleep?"

"There was an instance last week. I believe it was Thursday night."

"Does the Ferris wheel dream have some meaning for her? It could merely be excitement. The Fall carnival comes every year in November, weather permitting."

Olivia was becoming tired of this conversation. "I'd a whole lot rather we not talk about it at all."

"She has no control over it, it comes from her unconscious mind." John-Boy said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Olivia stopped cutting the loaf of bread and set down the knife. "John George Walton, what on earth are you talking about?"

"Well there's two kinds of minds, Mama. The conscious and the unconscious. The unconscious mind is always storing up things we're not even aware of. Things that we'd like to forget or would like to hide. A dream can be sort of a code message from the unconscious mind." John-Boy hoped his mother would understand the information his psychology teacher presented in class two weeks ago.

Olivia didn't totally understand. But she simply nodded her head and replied, "Oh."

Ben came down the stairs.

"Nice tie, Ben." John-Boy said.

"It's yours, you know." Ben said.

"Yeah I know it's mine. That's why it looks so nice." John-Boy teased.

Ben smiled.

"It looks really good Ben." John-Boy said. He paused. "Hey wait a minute, how come you're all gussied up to go to school?"

Ben spooned up a bowl of oatmeal. "Oh I'm just going to the Jarvis' used car lot to take care of some ads after school today."

John-Boy grabbed a leftover piece of toast and spread butter on it. "Seems to me that ever since Darlene Jarvis went to work for her daddy, you've been giving them extra good business." John-Boy smiled and took a bite of his toast.

"I give good service to all of my customers." Ben said plainly.

"Ben, would you reach me down that jar of peanut butter?" Olivia asked, finishing Jason's sandwich.

"Sure." Ben sat down his bowl of oatmeal and reached in the cupboard.

"Good morning." Jason smiled, entering the kitchen from upstairs.

"About time Jason." John-Boy was mildly annoyed.

"I would've been ready sooner if Ben hadn't decided to shave this morning." Jason replied.

Ben struggled to reach the peanut butter on the top shelf. Jason came behind him and reached the jar for him.

"Ben shaved this morning?" John-Boy was surprised at his 16-year old brother.

"You didn't smell his shaving lotion?" Jason chuckled. "You can smell him from here to Rockfish."

Jason handed the peanut butter to his mother.

"Thanks Jason." Olivia said.

Ben paused, realizing how much taller his siblings were than him. Even his 'little brother' Jim Bob was now at least 3 or 4 inches taller than him. Erin was around 2 inches taller than him. The only siblings who were shorter than him yet were Elizabeth and Joy.

"You still coming with Jen and I to trick-or-treat tonight, Jason?" John-Boy smiled.

"Oh, I wouldn't miss it for the world, Brother." Jason smiled. "Can't wait to see my cute niece in her costume."

"Jenny said you can come for supper at our place. That way we can get started early and get back before it's too late. Jenny doesn't want Jen out any later than nine."

"I assume Jenny's gonna stay home with the boys." Jason said.

"Yep, she's gonna stay with them and put them to bed early."

Jason nodded. "Who else is coming?"

"Erin is gonna come with Mary Ellen and Curt after work. They should be back around 6 or 6:30. We figured we'd leave at 7." John-Boy said.

"You comin' Ben?" John-Boy asked.

Ben heard his name and kind of came out of his dazed state. "Huh?"

"Trick-or-treating. Are you coming trick-or-treating with the rest of us?"

"Oh sure, John-Boy. I think Daddy's gonna bring me, Jim Bob, and Joy."

"Does Elizabeth want to come?" John-Boy asked.

"I'm afraid that's not such a good idea." Olivia said. "She's had enough scare the past few days."

John-Boy nodded. "That's true."

"Mama, do you have anything I can eat in the car on the way to school?" Jason asked.

"You can take some toast with you. There's strawberry jelly on the table."

Jason walked over to the table, picked up a knife and spread his toast with jelly. "Do you have any coffee?"

"I already poured you some in a Thermos. I didn't add anything yet."

Jason smiled. "Thanks Mama." He went back to the table and added 2 spoons of sugar and a touch of cream to his coffee.

Jason turned to his older brother. "I'm ready John-Boy."

Olivia's two oldest children headed out the door. "See you later Mama." They called out.

"Bye boys." Olivia waved.


	3. Chapter 3

**October 31, 1939**

After school, Ben drove into Rockfish to the Jarvis' dealership.

Ben admired a car in the garage as he made his way to the office.

The office door was open and Darlene smiled when she saw Ben approaching.

"Hey." Ben smiled.

"Happy Halloween Ben." Darlene grinned.

Ben chuckled. "Thanks."

"You're here about the ad?" Darlene asked.

"That's right." Ben smiled. "John-Boy and I saved a space on page 3. You think your daddy will go for two columns?"

Darlene smiled. "I think he will."

Ben smiled and nodded. "Good."

Darlene reached for a sheet of paper. "Here's the prices."

"Hey, that's a good price on that Model A. Maybe you should lead off with that one."

Darlene chuckled. "But the LaSalle's got more style. It's practically brand new and it goes 75 miles an hour."

"I realize that, but people these days would rather go for a bargain."

"Oh, well, you know more about it than I do." Darlene smiled. "You do what you think best."

Ben grinned. "Okay."

"You got any Halloween plans?" Darlene asked.

"Well I think I'm gonna go trick-or-treating with my niece." Ben smiled.

"How old is she?" Darlene asked.

"She turned 3 on the Fourth of July. She's out little All-American girl." Ben grinned.

"Well I hope you have fun." Darlene smiled.

Ben pulled out a poster. "I got a job in Charlottesville."

"Ah yes, the Fall carnival is coming in a few weeks. We never miss it."

"I persuaded the carnival owner to let _The Chronicle_ office handle all his advance publicity. I was wondering if you'd just leave these handbills around so your customers can get the message."

"Oh, always an eye for business, huh?" Darlene winked at Ben.

"You got to when you're getting started." Ben reached in his pocket. "I got a couple free passes from the manager for the carnival." He handed them to Darlene.

Just then, Darlene's father came into the office. "Hi Shorty! He greeted Ben with a smile. "Are you gonna send us some more customers this week?"

Ben hated that nickname!

Mr. Jarvis spoke to his daughter. "Darlene, get specifications on that Studebaker coupe, will you?"

"Sure." Darlene said.

As she got up, Ben realized how tall Darlene was. She had to be close to 5'9"!

Darlene walked over to the file cabinet and got the information for her father.

Ben quietly walked out the door. "See you later." He mumbled.

"Oh bye." Darlene said.

"See ya." Mr. Jarvis replied.

That evening, everyone gathered at John-Boy and Jenny's. Jen was adorable in her little pioneer costume.

"I'll have her home by 9, Jenny, I promise." John-Boy said.

Jenny smiled and waved. "Have a great time, everyone."

"We will. Thanks." Everyone called out.

Everyone climbed in the three trucks. Mary Ellen and Curt took Joy with them. Erin and Jason climbed in with John-Boy while Grandpa, John, Ben, and Jim Bob all got in the family truck.

The congregate went to Flossie Brimmer's, Harley and Verdie Foster's, Yancy Tucker's, Ike and Corabeth's, and finally, their nearest neighbors, the Baldwin Sisters'.

"Oh, she is growing so quickly." Miss Emily admired little Jen. "She' beautiful, John-Boy, she looks just like her mother."

"Well, we sure think the world of her." John-Boy smiled. "Thank you ladies."

"Where is your dear wife?" Miss Emily asked.

"She stayed home with the boys since they're so young yet."

"And it won't be too long before you have little ones, Mary Ellen."

Mary Ellen smiled. "Maybe one day."

"Where is Elizabeth, John?" Miss Mamie asked.

"She's been having some nightmares the past few days. Olivia didn't think she needed to participate in the spooks of Halloween this year."

"I don't blame her. It's probably a good choice to keep her home." Miss Mamie said.

"Has everyone had enough cookies and hot apple cider?" Miss Emily asked.

Everyone had. John-Boy glanced at his watch.

"Daddy, it's 8:40."

"Well, we appreciate your hospitality, Ladies, but this little pioneer girl turns back into my granddaughter at nine o'clock." John picked up Jen and kissed her on the cheek. "Her mama will be looking for her."

"Well, it was so fun to have everyone over. Thank you for bringing them. We love seeing your family." Miss Mamie said.

"Thank you ladies. We'll see you in church on Sunday?" Zeb asked.

"We're planning on it." Miss Emily smiled.

"Thanks again, Ladies." John smiled. "Happy Halloween! Have a good evening."

"Happy Halloween to you too John, everyone. Have a wonderful evening." The ladies waved.

Jason and Erin climbed in with John-Boy. Erin held Jen on her lap.

"Jenny did a great job on her costume, John-Boy. Jen is adorable." Erin smiled.

"She sure charmed everyone we saw." Jason grinned, holding his niece's tiny hand.

Once back at John-Boy and Jenny's, Curt and Mary Ellen headed back to their house. Everyone else got in with John and Zeb.

"Goodnight everyone!" they called before leaving.

"Ladies first." Jason said, letting Erin and Joy ride in the cab while the boys sat in the cold truck bed.

That evening back at the house, Jim Bob went into their room with a bunch of empty cans strung together.

"What's that stuff?" Asked Ben.

"It's my invention." Jim Bob replied.

Ben chuckled. "You invented the trash dump?!"

"Well, it's not put together yet. It's gonna be an alarm."

Ben laughed. "What kind of an alarm?"

"It's gonna wake up Elizabeth in case she walks in her sleep again."

Ben shook his head. "Jim Bob, you and your Rube Goldberg contraptions!"

"You just wait and see, Ben Walton, it'll work."

Jim Bob tried to untangle all the yarns from each other. He noticed his brother looking at himself in the mirror. "What are you staring at?"

"Oh, I was just noticing. You know, you look sort of like a turtle!" Ben laughed.

Jim Bob playfully wrestled him.

"The bed broke, Jim Bob, the bed!" Ben laughed.

 **November 1, 1939**

The next evening, Jim Bob put his contraption to work in the hallway.

Jason was coming back from the Dew Drop late. He quietly closed the front door, removed his shoes, and left them downstairs.

He didn't know about Jim Bob's contraption and unknowingly walked up the stairs, tripping on the last step over a well-secured rope that set off the recycled can alarm!

"It worked! Hey everybody, it worked!" Jim Bob called out.

He and Ben ran out into the hallway to find Jason.

"Is this your idea, Jim Bob?" John asked, walking out into the hallway.

Jim Bob helped Jason to his feet.

"Elizabeth, where's Elizabeth?" Olivia ran into the girls' room.

John followed her.

They found Elizabeth safe and sound, asleep in her bed.

Olivia looked at John and smiled.

They quietly closed the door.

 **November 2, 1939**

The following morning, Jim Bob took all the metal cans downstairs. He dropped a few going down the steps.

"What is all that racket?" Zeb asked, exiting their bedroom. "Is Elizabeth on the prowl again?"

"No, that was James Robert Edison taking out one of his great inventions." Laughed Ben.

"Oh." Zeb smiled. "Yeah, your grandma and I kind of overslept this morning. Been too much night life going on around here the past couple weeks."

Ben studied the wall in the kitchen. "Grandpa, are you sure these marks are right?"

"Oh, your growing up marks?"

"Yeah."

"You questioning this old carpenter's ability with a yardstick?" Grandpa teased.

"No, it just seems like everyone is growing around here except for me."

"Now, I wouldn't say that." Grandpa replied. He pointed to a mark with the yardstick. "There you were one day, way down there." He chuckled. "From the time of you youngins' first birthdays, I would put a mark down there. There you are in 1929, 10 years ago. Look how much taller you are now."

"Well compared to everyone else, I've still got a lot of growing to do."

"Oh, you think you're bad off, think about Long John Cavanaugh." Grandpa teased. "He was so tall that his feet stuck out over the edge of the bed, out under the covers. He got cold, pneumonia did him in. And, that poor fella was so tall, they had to bury him in a well, standing up 'cause no coffin would fit him!"

Ben laughed. He never knew which of his grandpa's stories were real and which ones were made up.

Grandpa patted Ben's shoulder. "Don't you fret, Son. A short man who thinks tall stands taller in the saddle than a tall man who thinks short."

Grandpa tossed the yardstick back onto the hall table. "Esther, breakfast!"


	4. Chapter 4

**November 2, 1939**

That afternoon, John-Boy went by the general store where the carnival rides would be set up. Ike asked him to help with some set-up and he said he would.

Jenny, too was there with the children.

Elizabeth wandered over to the carnival grounds after school.

Ike caught sight of her. He winked at her and waved.

Elizabeth turned around and stared at the Ferris wheel poster nailed to the store building for the longest time.

While Ike spoke with one of the carnival workers about the placement of different rides, John-Boy went over to tend to his little sister.

He smiled at her, but she didn't take her gaze from the poster. She stood, staring, almost stunned by it. Her silence was very chilling for John-Boy.

John-Boy turned to see what Elizabeth was staring at. He realized that the she was staring at a poster. It had a Ferris wheel on it.

Elizabeth stared for several seconds, not even realizing John-Boy was standing next to her.

"Elizabeth," John-Boy said gently at last.

She turned. She forced a smile and hugged her brother. "Hi John-Boy."

"If you'd like to go inside, I'll buy you a candy bar." John-Boy smiled.

Elizabeth hesitated. "Okay." She finally said.

John-Boy took her hand and the two went inside.

When they got inside, Ike was helping the Baldwin sisters.

"Do you really think you need ALL these locks?" Ike chuckled.

John-Boy saw several locks on the counter in front of the elderly sisters.

"We're having them installed on all our outside doors immediately." Miss Mamie informed the storekeeper.

"You see, that carnival will be here this weekend." Miss Emily added.

"Well, Mr. Dawes assures me that all of his employees are absolutely reliable." Ike replied.

"Well, that's what they led us to believe the last time the carnival was here and our very own home was broken into." Miss Mamie recollected the Fall carnival two years ago. The previous year, a snowstorm during the first week of November had prevented the carnival from taking place.

"And Mama's diamond earrings and matching tiara were mysteriously removed." Miss Emily said.

"Never to be seen again." Miss Mamie added.

John-Boy was thumbing through the family's mail when he noticed Elizabeth slowly wander over to the large red coffee grinder in the store. John-Boy couldn't help but notice that the grinder looked like a mini Ferris wheel.

"Papa had presented them to Mama on their wedding day." Mamie Baldwin told Ike.

"I had planned to wear them whenever Ashley Longworth made a proposal of marriage." Miss Emily dreamily stated. She went into describing her long-lost love. "He was a young student at the university, don't you know. And he used to…"

Miss Mamie touched Miss Emily's arm to stop her story.

Ike bagged the ladies' groceries. "Are you absolutely certain that it was an employee of the carnival who broke into your house?"

Miss Mamie was convinced. "Quite sure! Why, the sheriff was about to question one of the carnival workers and then the poor man lost his life in some unfortunate accident."

John-Boy watched his younger sister. The remainder of the Baldwin Sisters' conversation became a blur to him. His focus was on his sister.

She just grinder, over and over and over again, staring at it, studying its every move.

The Baldwin Sisters broke his concentration.

"Goodbye John-Boy." Miss Emily cheerful said to the young man.

He turned and smiled. "Bye ladies."

He went back to watching Elizabeth.

She was still spinning the coffee grinder, giving it her whole attention. Elizabeth suddenly stopped the grinder and stared out into the room.

"Elizabeth," John-Boy said gently. "What kind of candy bar would you like, Honey?"

Elizabeth solemnly picked out a Hershey's bar.

John-Boy paid for the candy and handed it to his sister.

"Bye Ike." John-Boy smiled, waving to the storekeeper.

"Bye John-Boy."

Back home, John and Zeb washed up in the kitchen sink.

"John-Boy says the Baldwin sisters have everything under lock and key and are not coming out of the house until that carnival goes away." Olivia said.

"I'll never forget the day the Baldwin ladies got robbed." Zeb chuckled. "Oh what a dad-doo!"

"I remember it too, but for a different reason." Olivia replied, continuing to cut the loaf of bread into slices. "That was the day Elizabeth wandered off and was gone all morning."

"Found her down by the river." John added. "She never could tell us what happened."

Jenny listened to older adults recall the events. She remembered it too. She was very scared that Elizabeth would get hurt. She was very glad when they found her.

Outside, John-Boy pushed Elizabeth in the swing.

"Elizabeth, do you remember when the carnival was here the last time?" John-Boy asked plainly.

"Some, I was real little." Elizabeth replied.

"Yeah, I know. I remember you got lost one morning. Did you go to the carnival that day?"

Elizabeth shrugged. "I don't know. Daddy says I went to the river."

"Well I know what Daddy said. I was just wondering if you knew what happened."

Elizabeth shook her head. "I don't know. I don't wanna think about it."

"Well it just seems kind of strange to me that you could end up down by the river all by yourself, that's all." John-Boy sort of chuckled.

Elizabeth jumped off the swing. "I don't know!" she wailed.

John-Boy's smile disappeared. "Did you go to the carnival that day?"

Jenny stepped out. "John, Elizabeth, your mother says supper is ready."

Elizabeth ran to Jenny and hugged her. "John-Boy, I don't wanna talk about it anymore!"

"Talk about what?" Jenny asked.

"Well I was just asking her what she remembered about the last time the carnival was here, that's all. I didn't mean to upset you, Honey."

Jenny gently stroked Elizabeth's hair. "Well from now on, maybe it's not best to talk about it at all." She suggested. "That sound good for everyone?"

Elizabeth and John-Boy agreed to this plan. Jenny smiled, took Elizabeth's hand, and led her inside.

John-Boy followed slowly.


	5. Chapter 5

**November 2, 1939**

After supper, John-Boy and Jenny went home with their kids. John-Boy would be coming back to help Ben with the paper that night. But John-Boy always went home to help Jenny put the kids to bed.

"Come home before it's too late, please John." Jenny said.

John-Boy sighed. "We have a lot of work to do tonight, so I won't make any promises. But I will try."

"Convince me." Jenny pouted.

"How's this?" John-Boy leaned in and kissed her.

"That was very convincing." Jenny flashed her husband a girlish grin.

"I was hoping so." John-Boy beamed. "I'll see you later, Sweetheart."

"Bye Baby." She smiled.

Meanwhile at John and Olivia's, Jim Bob and Ben tried to tune the radio to their favorite show. It wasn't working.

"Is _The March Of Time_ on tonight?" Grandpa asked.

"Naw, Edgar Burgen and Charlie McCarthy." Jim Bob replied.

Grandpa swatted his hand playfully.

"Would you look at this!" John said. An entire section article of the paper was cut out. "Smack dab in the middle of my article about Dizzy Dean. Who'd do something like this?"

Jim Bob was uninterested, continuing to try and find the radio station.

Zeb shrugged.

Ben quietly walked past the men and went upstairs.

Zeb eyed Ben as he went upstairs. John put down the paper and went out to finish the mill work for the evening.

It wasn't very long before Ben joined his father in the mill.

"Hey, it's lookin' good!" Ben said, that infectious smile of his spreading across his face.

John looked up and smiled. "Yeah, I thought I'd put another coat on it and let it dry overnight."

Ben nodded. "Good idea." He reached in his pocket and pulled out a paper. "Here's the article you were looking for."

John smiled. "Ol' Dizz. He can pitch words better than he can baseballs."

"He sure can." Ben grinned.

John flipped the paper over. He noticed it was an advertisement. John's smile faded.

"I was thinkin' about getting those." Ben admitted.

"Elevator shoes?" John asked. He read the newspaper advertisement. " _Now you can be taller than she is_."

"Well it sounds funnier than it is, but I'm just plain tired of being called 'Shorty.'" Ben sighed. "Waiting for myself to grow."

"Aren't you gettin' ahead of yourself, Son?"

"Yeah I know, I'm just a _growing boy_." Ben was sort of annoyed.

"It takes some people longer than others to reach their full growth."

"Yeah, but what do I do in the meantime?"

"Just be yourself. Think about what's goin' on inside."

Ben sighed. "Yeah, but it's the outside that everyone sees."

Ben shook his head and went back inside the house.

John glanced at his son, then back at the newspaper ad.

That night, Olivia held Elizabeth's hand and sang to her until she fell asleep.

Olivia stood up. She smiled when she saw all three of her younger daughters asleep. She missed Mary Ellen being home was thankful that she had found a wonderful man to spend the rest of her life with. She loved Curt like he was her own son.

Olivia smiled as she left the girls' room.

When Olivia left, Elizabeth began to stir in her sleep.

 _The creepy carnival music played._

 _The Ferris wheel spun faster than it ever had before. Elizabeth was sure that she would be ejected from her car!_

" _Help me, please!"_


	6. Chapter 6

**November 2, 1939**

Olivia awoke from her sleep. She rolled over and looked at the alarm clock. It was 11:13 p.m. She got up to make sure Elizabeth was okay.

Olivia was terrified when Elizabeth was gone!

She ran back to her husband. "John! It's Elizabeth! She's gone!"

"We'll find her." John said.

"Mama!" John-Boy called, running from the shed, Ben hot on his trail. "Is it Elizabeth?"

"Yes," John said. "Liv, check the kitchen."

Olivia ran downstairs and did so. No sign of her daughter.

"Elizabeth!" Olivia called out.

John ran downstairs.

Zeb stepped out of their bedroom. "What's all the racket for?" He yawned.

"It's Elizabeth, Pa, she's gone." John explained.

"Oh gracious!"

"The front door, Daddy, it's open!" Ben exclaimed.

Zeb went back into the bedroom. "Esther, she's gone again."

Olivia turned on the back porch light. She ran outside, followed by John-Boy and Ben.

"I can see him!" There was Elizabeth's voice. It came from up above them.

 _Oh God, please protect that girl._ Olivia silently prayed.

Olivia looked up. "JOHN!" she gasped.

"Somebody, help me!" Elizabeth called.

John, John-Boy, and Ben ran to Olivia. Olivia pointed up.

The men glanced up and were just as shocked as Olivia.

There was Elizabeth. Somehow, she had walked in her sleep, all the way up the treehouse. She was hanging onto the wood frame, but if she took only a few more steps, she might fall.

"I'm scared about Elizabeth!" Joy cried.

Jason picked her up and sat on the bed with her. "Shhh." He soothed. "It's okay, Sweetheart. Daddy and Mama will protect her. John-Boy's still here. He and Ben are out there as well."

"Where's Erin?" Joy sniffled.

"She's in with Jim Bob in our room."

Next door, Jim Bob was upset too.

"I don't understand it, I set up my alarm and everything!"

Erin patted his shoulder. "You tried your best, Jim Bob. That's really all anyone can ask."

Jim Bob nodded. He looked up at his sister and smiled. "Thanks Erin."

She smiled. "Let's go check on Jason and Joy."

She extended a hand and helped him stand up. They went back into the girls' room.

Back outside, the men got ready to rescue Elizabeth.

"John-Boy, Ben, get below her." John commanded his sons.

"Yes sir." John-Boy and Ben acknowledged him and did what he asked them to do.

"Let me off!" Elizabeth screamed. "I'm gonna fall! Let me off!"

John climbed the treehouse.

"I can see him! He won't let me off! Let me off!" Elizabeth screamed.

John successfully got to the top of the treehouse.

"I'm gonna fall! I'm gonna fall! Help me!"

John quickly ran behind his daughter and firmly grabbed her with both his arms to keep her from falling.

She awoke with a startle.

"It's all right, Baby, it's all right." John reassured her. He stroked her cheek.

Elizabeth began to cry.

"Thank God!" Olivia whispered.

John-Boy felt himself relax. He didn't realize how quickly his heart had been beating.

John helped his daughter down the treehouse.

John-Boy didn't get back home until shortly before midnight.

"Jenny," John-Boy said quietly, tapping his wife's shoulder.

She aroused. "John, I'm glad to see you."

"Jenny, my Dear, my sister has a real problem. Tonight she walked in her sleep all the way up the treehouse."

Jenny gasped. "Oh my gosh! Is she all right?"

"My daddy got to her just in time."

"Oh thank God! How scary!"

"I'd never been so scared in my life."

"I can imagine. Well I'll keep praying for her to get this issue resolved."

"You and me both." John-Boy replied.

 **November 3, 1939**

The next morning came early after an eventful night.

John poured himself a cup of coffee.

Olivia came downstairs. "This is a fine state of affairs, you havin' to make your own coffee."

"I was hoping you could sleep late."

"I couldn't. Every time Elizabeth stirred next to me, I'd wake up. I guess that old sofa isn't too comfortable for sleeping on."

"It's a little lumpy in spots, that's for sure."

"Morning, dear parents." John-Boy greeted his folks as he came in the back door.

"Morning John-Boy." John and Olivia greeted their firstborn.

"How's Elizabeth? Any more bad dreams?"

"She didn't have any more bad dreams, but she sure was restless." Olivia replied.

"I can't figure out how she got up in that tree." John shook his head.

"Sleepwalkers have been known to do some amazing things, Daddy." John-Boy said. He grabbed two teacups and saucers, giving his mother one set.

"Thanks John-Boy." Olivia said.

John-Boy continued on the topic of sleepwalking. "I've heard of rearranging furniture, climbing around on rooftops."

Olivia poured John-Boy a cup of coffee, then one for herself. "What are we gonna do about it? She can't stay in our bed forever."

"What I wonder is why in the world she's walkin' in her sleep." John said.

"Gotta be something she's afraid of and she doesn't know what it is." John-Boy said, picking up the bell creamer. He poured some into his coffee. "Last night, up in that treehouse, she kept saying 'I see him, I see him.' I'd like to find out who 'he' is."

"John-Boy, I don't want you to go upsetting her again. Jenny told me how upset she was last evening." Olivia said.

"I think she went to the carnival that morning that she got lost." John-Boy said.

"I've just gotta figure out something to keep her from breaking her neck." John said.

John-Boy sneezed.

"You okay, John-Boy?" Olivia asked.

"Oh, I think I'm just tired."

"Well, just in case, I'll send a couple cough drops with you."

John-Boy didn't think that was necessary, but he didn't dare argue.

Jason came downstairs.

"And I'd better send a couple with you too." Olivia told him.

"Wow, I didn't even say 'good mornin' yet." Jason laughed.

"I don't want you to get sick either, so I'm gonna send a couple cough drops with you to school."

"Fine with me. I've got to perform a couple songs for my teacher today, so I might have a sore throat by the end of my classes anyway." Jason chuckled, plopping down at the table next to John-Boy. He poured himself a cup of coffee. "Pass the sugar, John-Boy."

That morning, Olivia took Elizabeth to see Curt at the Waltons' Mountain clinic.

"No fever, no swelling, heart is fine, chest clear," Curt looked at Olivia. "She's a healthy little girl."

Olivia and Mary Ellen smiled.

Curt teased Elizabeth, playfully bopping her on the nose. "Too healthy not to be in school."

Elizabeth smiled. "Wasn't my idea." She turned to her mother. "And Mrs. Fordwick was having a nature walk today!"

"We wanted to have Curt look at you."

"I am still your favorite brother-in-law, I hope." Curt teased, playfully poking Elizabeth's stomach.

Elizabeth picked up the diaphragm. "Not when you have that doctor thing around your neck."

Curt and Mary Ellen grinned.

"Well, count your blessings, Elizabeth. The only time I ever got to stay home, I was too sick to enjoy it." Mary Ellen smiled.

"Can I get down now?" Elizabeth asked.

"Sure." Curt said, offering her a hand down.

"Mary Ellen, can you show me how to make a splint?"

Mary Ellen put an arm around her little sister and led her over to a table to practice on. "Sure, you can practice on Reckless if you want."

Curt and Olivia went over to another part of the room and sat down.

"I can't find anything physical reasons that would cause her nightmares, so I sure wouldn't worry about her health." Curt explained to his mother-in-law.

"You would if you'd seen her teetering on the edge of that treehouse."

"Well, you see, there may be another cause for the sleepwalking. Is something perhaps worrying her? Schoolwork, a friend, something like that?" Curt gave some examples.

Olivia shook her head. "Not that I can think of."

"Some sort of a frightening memory?"

"Well, John-Boy keeps talking about something that's hidden in the back of her mind that's trying to find its way out."

Curt nodded. "He could be right. You see, we're learning more about the way the mind works all the time."

"Only time, every time John-Boy tries to help her find out what it is, she gets all upset."

"Oh, it's tricky business probing the unconscious. Better left to the experts." Curt grinned.

Olivia smiled and nodded. "Is there something we can do?"

"Well, I think the main thing is just to watch her carefully. And if the dreams don't go away by themselves, well, then, I reckon we might be able to find some help for her in Richmond. Psychiatrist, psychologist."

Olivia glanced at her daughters, enjoying each other's company. "Psychiatrist?"


	7. Chapter 7

**November 3, 1939**

Ben walked out of the Jarvis' car lot office.

"Hi Ben!" Darlene greeted her friend with a smile.

Ben looked up from his papers and smiled. "Oh, hey! I just talked to your daddy about the ads."

"Oh good, he was asking about it."

"Yeah, he made a few suggestions but he seemed to like most of it."

Darlene nodded. "I asked out those carnival handbills like you asked."

"Good." Ben smiled.

"A lot of folks around here are planning to go."

"Well I hope they mention who they heard it from."

"Aww, always have your mind in business, don't ya?" Darlene teased with a childlike grin.

Ben grinned. "Well, not always. I was thinking maybe we could go to the carnival together tomorrow?"

"Gee Ben, I'd really like to, but I think I have to work."

Ben nodded, his smile fading in disappointment.

Darlene felt bad. "Um, can I let you know later?"

"Sure." A dejected Ben mumbled, getting in the truck to drive back home.

"Call me tonight." Darlene pleaded.

Darlene's father walked past the truck window. "What do ya say, Shorty?" he greeted the young man with a smile.

Ben had had enough. "Hey, do me a favor! The name's Ben, use it." He said bluntly to the businessman as he drove away.

Mr. Jarvis looked at his daughter and shrugged his shoulders.

Back on the mountain, the finishing touches to the circus were being completed. Carnival music and crowds shouting could be heard from a mile away!

Elizabeth walked up to where the rides were.

Jim Bob was attaching removable seats to one of the rides when John-Boy walked up.

"Hey Jim Bob, you seen Wilbur Dawes?"

Jim Bob chuckled. "Sure, I'm workin' for him."

John-Boy laughed. "You're workin' for him. Well, where do you think I might be able to find him right now?"

Jim Bob nodded to something behind John-Boy. "Over by the truck."

"Thanks Brother." John-Boy smiled and waved.

"See ya John-Boy."

John-Boy went over to the carnival owner. "Looks like you're gonna be opening up on schedule."

"We're gonna try." Mr. Dawes replied. He paused. "You know, it's a nice job you did on the handbills."

John-Boy smiled. "Thank you very much. I just hope it brings you in some business."

Mr. Dawes smiled. "I expect so."

John-Boy cleared his throat. "It's been a couple years since you've been through this way, ain't it, Mr. Dawes?"

"That November snowstorm last year kept us from having the carnival. I remember we got some trouble here the last time. I just hope there's no hard feelings."

"Really?" John-Boy wanted to know more.

"Yeah." Mr. Dawes replied. He nodded over yonder. "Lost a man right over there."

"Oh yeah, I remember that."

"Yeah. Ferris wheel operator."

 _Ferris wheel!_ John-Boy was immediately intrigued. He glanced over his shoulder to see Elizabeth at the base of the tall carnival ride, staring straight up at the top of it.

Mr. Dawes continued. "You know, that newspaper of yours could…"

"Mr. Dawes, would you excuse me please? Just a minute." John-Boy asked, going over to Elizabeth.

"Yeah sure." Mr. Dawes went back to completing his inventory.

John-Boy walked over to his little sister. "Elizabeth, I thought you were afraid of these things."

Elizabeth looked at John-Boy, then back to the top of the enormous ride. "I can see it on my way home from school. It's bigger than our barn."

John-Boy chuckled. "Bigger than the barn for sure. It's about ten times bigger than you are." He smiled, but Elizabeth didn't break concentration. His smile faded.

She continued. "You know, people look real little from the top."

John-Boy nodded. He paused. "Elizabeth, Honey, would you be willing to ride the Ferris wheel with me?"

"Don't you want to ride with Jenny?"

"Jenny's at the house with Mama and Grandma. I'd like to ride with you." He smiled.

Elizabeth gasped.

John-Boy continued. "I'll keep my arm around you and I'll hold you real tight and I'll make them stop the minute you say so. I can't promise you, but I think that maybe if you ride it, your dreams will go away."

Elizabeth reluctantly nodded. "All... all right."

"Good." John-Boy smiled at her. He took her hand and led her to the ride. "You all right, Honey?"

She nodded.

"Could we have a ride?" John-Boy asked one of the carnival workers.

"Sure Walton." The man smiled, assisting John-Boy and Elizabeth into one of the cars.

"Now we're in tight, I've got you." John-Boy promised his sister, putting an arm around her.

The Ferris wheel began to turn.

"Are you nervous? Do you want me to make him stop? I'll make him stop if you want me to make him stop, Elizabeth."

"John-Boy, I remember!"

"You remember? What do you remember Elizabeth?"

"I… I went to the carnival, and it was where it started."

"Uh-huh." John-Boy was listening.

"And I gave the man a dime to start the Ferris wheel for me."

"And then what?"

"And I was in it and he left."

"He left?" John-Boy was surprised. "He left you alone on the Ferris wheel?"

Elizabeth nodded and gasped. She leaned into John-Boy. He put his arm even more securely around her. "It's all right Honey, I've got you. It's okay."

The girl began to cry. He hugged her.

That evening after their kids had been put to bed, John-Boy told the events of the afternoon to Jenny.

"He just left her there going round and round by herself? No wonder the poor girl was having nightmares!" Jenny was just as surprised as John-Boy was.

"He must have gone off to do some other kind of work. Anyway, when she couldn't see him and she got really scared. She figured there was no one to let her off, just like in her dream."

"How did she get off?" Jenny was curious.

"I reckon she jumped off when it got close enough to the ground. Then she ran away. She was probably so scared she didn't know where she was going and that's how she ended up down by the river."

Jenny nodded. "I hope that's all there is to it."

"It seems to fit. I have a feeling she was guilty about going down to the carnival and unconsciously been trying to hide it. I don't think she'll have the dreams again."

"All the same, I'm glad your parents are locking all the doors and keeping keys out of sight until this thing is settled once and for all."

"You and me both." John-Boy smiled.

"You and Ben working on the paper tonight?"

"Yep, I reckon we'll be at it late. We usually are on Fridays."

Jenny nodded. She kissed her husband. "Goodnight John. I won't wake you in the morning in case you get in late tonight."

John-Boy smiled. "Don't let me sleep past 10, please Jenny. You headed to bed now?"

"I'm gonna read for a bit, but then I think I'll head off to Dreamland."

"Well, goodnight." John-Boy kissed his wife's lips. "I love you Baby."

"I love you John. See you in the morning."


	8. Chapter 8

**November 3, 1939**

That evening, Ben got out his new platform shoes, guaranteed to raise his height by two whole inches! He put them on and smiled at how tall he felt.

He walked downstairs into the kitchen. There, Olivia and Erin were finishing up the last of the supper dishes.

"Hey Erin, want me to put these plates up for you?" he offered with a smile.

"Oh no thanks Ben, I can do it."

"Can I give you a hand Mama?" Ben asked.

"I'm almost done. But your daddy's fixing the lock on the front door, you might see if you can give him a hand."

Ben nodded and left the kitchen.

Erin turned to her mother. "What's wrong with him?"

"Wants to get on Santa's good list for Christmas, maybe." Olivia suggested.

The two women burst into laughter.

Ben walked into the living room over by the piano, where Jason was playing. Jim Bob and Grandpa were enthusiastically singing. None of the three men noticed Ben. They were too busy singing.

 _Left in this wide world to fret and to mourn, betrayed by a maid in her teens._

Ben recognized the song. "The Man On The Flying Trapeze" had always been one of Grandpa's favorites.

Ben walked over to his father. "Hey, you got that lock working yet, Daddy?"

John didn't look up from his project, but replied to his son's question. "It was a little rusty from not being used."

Ben nodded.

"I put this key up on that nail there so Elizabeth can't reach it."

Ben nodded. "That's a good idea."

John turned from his work to look at his son. "You and John-Boy working tonight?"

"Yeah, we're putting the finishing touches on the articles."

"Mmm." John nodded, returning to his work.

 _No one noticed!_ Ben was disappointed. He sadly walked upstairs to the room he shared with Jason and Jim Bob.

Up in his room, Ben could still hear some of the menfolk in his family singing "The Man On The Flying Trapeze." But over their singing, he heard a knock at the door.

"Come in."

His father came in. "You getting ready for bed?" John paused. "When somebody buys a new pair of shoes in this family, it's kind of hard not to notice. I guess everyone was kind of busy tonight."

"You know those shoes brought two inches up in my height and no one even noticed? I was almost as tall as Erin."

John put an arm around his son. "You may not believe this, but I've been watching the way people look at you, Son. When they look at you, they don't see someone who's tall or short, fat or thin. They see a steady, hard-working young fella with a good sense of fun. Oh, he knows how to frown once in a while, but they see a big man in lots of ways."

"Yeah, but not big in the way I want to be."

"I know what you mean." John said quietly. "Me, I always wanted to have red hair and be good-looking."

Ben looked directly at his father. He chuckled.

John smiled. "Listen Ben, when people look at you, and all they see is the outside, it's them that come up short, not you."

"So you think I should take the shoes back, don't you?"

John shrugged and patted his son on the back. "It's your money, Son."

That night before bed, Olivia went into the girls room and found all three fast asleep. She returned to her and John's bedroom.

"Is Elizabeth all right?" John asked.

Olivia smiled and nodded. "She's fine. I guess John-Boy was right."

"I don't know. I've never heard of anyone being cured of a nightmare by going for a ride on a Ferris wheel."

Olivia crawled under the covers. "I feel safer knowing the doors are locked."

"You try and get some sleep. I'll go check on her in an hour or so." John smiled.

"Thanks." Olivia kissed John.

In the girls' room, Elizabeth began to stir. The nightmare was coming back! She opened her eyes, but she wasn't fully conscious. She was sleepwalking! She sat up in bed, stood up, and climbed out the window onto the roof!

In the old shed, John-Boy and Ben were hard at work on the paper.

"John-Boy, I'm almost half-way through."

"Well that's good to hear. Listen Ben, you must be tired. Why don't you go on up to bed? I'm almost finished here. I can close up shop for the night."

"It's okay. I'm getting my second wind. I'll just stay here till we're through."

Outside, Elizabeth climbed down the ladder leaned up against the side of the house. Jason and Jim Bob had been checking the windows to make sure they didn't need repairs or replacements before the Winter weather that would soon be hitting the mountain came.

Elizabeth staggered into the darkness!

 **November 4, 1939**

About 20 minutes later, John-Boy and Ben exited the shed. John-Boy locked up the old shed.

"Well, we sure earned our money tonight." John-Boy smiled.

Ben yawned. "Yeah, just don't ask me how much, I'll figure it out tomorrow."

"What do you mean tomorrow? It's past midnight already." John-Boy chuckled.

"I suppose Jenny and the kids are asleep." Ben said.

"I suppose so. I'm gonna use the bathroom and then I'd better head back."

"Okay. I'll peek in the girls' room, make sure Elizabeth is safe."

"Good idea."

"Time sure flies when you're havin' fun, huh?" Ben teased.

"I'll tell you something though, it sure beats cutting timber."

Ben smiled and shook his head.

"I'll lock the door when you leave." Ben said.

"Okay. I'll just be a minute."

"All right."

Ben peaked in the girls' room. Elizabeth was gone!

Ben tapped his sister's shoulder. "Erin! Erin, wake up Erin!"

"Hmm?" she was drowsy.

"Erin, is Elizabeth in with Mama?"

"I don't know."

John-Boy came in.

"John-Boy, check the bathroom."

"I was just in there."

Erin sat up, awake and alert to the scare that was happening in the Walton house.

"John-Boy," Olivia called.

"Mama, is Elizabeth in there with you?"

"No."

"She's not in our room." Ben said.

"Oh, we should have kept her in our bed!" Olivia fretted.

Joy aroused. "Erin, what is it?"

"We can't find Elizabeth."

Joy sat up, looking about ready to cry." Is Elizabeth gonna get hurt?"

"Of course not, Honey. I'm sure she just wandered off someplace. Daddy will find her."

But just as Erin said this, she found a startling discovery.

"How about the front door? You boys came in." Erin heard her father's voice in the hallway.

"I'll check the back porch." Olivia ran downstairs.

John, John-Boy, and Ben ran downstairs to look around the house.

Erin ran to the top of the stairs. "Daddy! The window in our room is open. It was closed when we went to bed."

Erin's face was full of fear. What danger could her sister be in?

"The window was closed. I checked it." John verified what his daughter said.

"I was just thinking if she went out the window, she could have gone down the ladder!"

"Of course, we've all done it a hundred times." John-Boy said, grabbing his jacket. Ben did likewise.

"Well, she could have gone down to the carnival." John-Boy suggested.

"You go down there and check, you and Ben." John said.

Zeb ran downstairs, joining the search. "I'll get some lanterns."

John-Boy and Ben jumped in John-Boy and Jenny's truck.

"I just can't believe she'd have gone this far." Ben shook his head in disbelief.

"Sleepwalkers do some pretty unbelievable things. I read about a man that got up in the middle of the night. He walked out of the house all the way down to the railroad station. When he woke up, he was buying himself a ticket. Couldn't figure out how he got there."

John-Boy stopped the truck in front of the general store and put it in park.

The brothers jumped out. They saw Elizabeth's hair hanging over the back of one of the cars.

"Oh boy!" Ben gasped.

John-Boy felt like he was going to throw up.

"I'll start the motor and get her down." Ben said, making a move for the carnival ride.

John-Boy stopped him. "No Ben, don't start the motor. She'll wake up. She could fall. Somebody's gonna have to go up."

Ben and John-Boy both gulped.

"I'll get the line out of the truck." John-Boy said. "If I tie one end around my waist, you can ankle me up there."

John-Boy ran back over to Ben. "Okay, you hold onto the end of this." He handed Ben one end of the rope.

"You stay down here and talk to her." Ben said, taking the rope from John-Boy and climbing the Ferris wheel.

John-Boy tried and persuade his brother. "Ben, will you let me go, please?"

Ben was determined and kept climbing. His feet were now about the height of Godsey's store.

John-Boy moved closer to where Elizabeth was, keeping a close eye on both her and Ben. He was the oldest. It was his responsibility to make sure none of the younger children got hurt. Even though he was married and had children of his own, he still felt a great deal of responsibility and protection for his younger siblings.

John-Boy gulped. Then he spoke. "Elizabeth, it's John-Boy, can you hear me?"

There was no response.

"Elizabeth?"

"I hear you."

"All right, Honey, I don't want you to move. I want you to stay right where you are. I want you to talk to me, all right?"

Ben climbed higher and higher. John-Boy glanced at him, then back to Elizabeth. John-Boy felt like gagging, but swallowed back the urge to throw up.

"Sweetheart, I want you to tell me about that day again. Tell me, did the man start the wheel up just for you?"

Elizabeth had a flashback. "I gave him a dime.

John-Boy realized his sister was having flashbacks. "Elizabeth, talk to me Sweetheart, tell me what he's doing."

"I can see him now. But now he's gone."

"Elizabeth, I want you to talk to me all right? What's he doing, Elizabeth?"

Ben was near the level Elizabeth's car was on.

"The sheriff's down there. Now he's gone too." Elizabeth said, recalling the past. Then she became frightened. "Please someone, let me off!"

John-Boy's heart raced. He looked at Elizabeth, then Ben, then back to Elizabeth. "All right, Honey. Stay right where you are."

"I wanna get down! Come on somebody, let me down!"

John-Boy swallowed the lump in his throat. "It's gonna be okay."

"Please somebody! Let me down!"

Ben dropped one end of the rope down to John-Boy. "All right Ben, you know if she falls, I'm gonna have to let you go."

Ben gulped and nodded. Getting Elizabeth safely back home was priority.

Ben slowly inched towards Elizabeth, hanging onto the rope he had securely fastened to the Ferris wheel frame.

John-Boy went back to Elizabeth. "What do you see now, Honey?"

"That man again."

"What's he doing, Elizabeth?"

"Somebody, let me off!" Elizabeth screamed. She moved the security bar on the car, causing John-Boy heart to skip a couple beats. Thankfully, she remained safe in the car.

"Don't move Elizabeth, all right, don't move!" John-Boy was desperate to get his sister to remain where she was. Her flashbacks were upsetting her. "Just don't move, Sweetheart! Just stay right where you are! Just keep talking to me. Elizabeth, do you still see him?"

Ben was closing in, only about 6 feet from the car his sister was in.

"What do you see now, Honey?" John-Boy asked.

"He's over by the rocks."

"Tell me what he's doing."

"He's hiding something in the cave. He's coming back now." Flashback was over. "Come on, somebody let me off! I'm gonna fall!"

"Honey, don't move all right, **don't move**!"

"I'm gonna fall!" Elizabeth screamed.

"You just stay right where you are."

"It hit him!" Elizabeth exclaimed. _The carnival worker came back to stop the ride. He was hit with one of the empty Ferris wheel cars!_

Elizabeth screamed.

"Don't move, stay right there, okay!"

"It hit him!" Elizabeth exclaimed.

John-Boy's eyes filled with tears. "Just don't do anything, just stay right there. It's gonna be all right. Everything is gonna be all right Elizabeth!" He choked on that last sentence. He wasn't sure if things would be all right.

Elizabeth gasped. _She didn't know what to do! The carnival worker had been hit and he was knocked out cold!_

"Mama! Mama!" Elizabeth screamed.

"Elizabeth, stay where you are. Do not move." John-Boy said.

Elizabeth had another flashback. _A man finally came and stopped the ride for her. It stopped suddenly. She was still slightly above the ground, not in the lowest position for exiting the ride._

"Help me please!"

Ben was less than 18 inches from his sister.

"You just don't move, Honey."

 _The man jumped up onto the platform to examine the injured carnival worker. Elizabeth saw this as her chance to escape. Still about 5 feet in the air, she jumped to the ground._

Elizabeth screamed.

Ben put his arms around her sister, awaking her completely! She gasped.

"Are you all right?" Ben asked Elizabeth. He hugged her.

John-Boy's shoulder shook and he melted into sobs. Tears streamed down his cheeks. They were both safe! Neither of them had been hurt or worse, killed! Elizabeth was now safe in the arms of her brother! It really was a miracle!

Ben kissed Elizabeth's cheeks and forehead all over and refused to let go of her. He held her tight in a hug. Elizabeth gasped, still unable to believe what had happened.

"Oh Elizabeth, I love you!" Ben whispered, as he kissed her all over her cheeks.

John-Boy stopped crying. He looked up one more time to make sure that they were okay. Ben had his arms around Elizabeth and she was slowly calming down from the scare.

John-Boy slumped to the ground as tears flooded his face and sobs shook his entire body.

After everyone recovered from the intensity of the night, John-Boy went over to the operating lever and safely brought his brother and sister to the ground.

Ben and Elizabeth got out and ran into John-Boy's arms. The threesome hugged for about five straight minutes, relieved that the ordeal of the Ferris wheel was finally over!

 **Final chapter to come soon. Hopefully tomorrow! Thanks for reading!**


	9. Chapter 9

**I am SO SORRY, everyone. I've had an insane week of school! I need to quit saying "this week was the worst" because every time I say that, the following week proves to be twice as bad. But I finally got around to finishing this story up. Thanks for your patience. I'm hoping to write another story, but there's a good chance it won't be until after this semester is over. But I only have 3 weeks left, so I should be back to writing soon. In the meantime, let me know what stories you'd like to see. PM me. I take requests. Again, thanks for being patient with me. I hope you enjoy the final chapter of The Ferris Wheel!**

 **November 4, 1939**

That morning, everyone slept in. They were all exhausted from the events of the night before. That afternoon, they all went to the carnival.

Elizabeth showed Sheriff Bridges the spot where she saw the carnival worker hide something two years ago.

Sheriff Bridges reached his hand into the cave. Elizabeth was right by his side.

John, Olivia, John-Boy, and Jenny watched.

Miss Mamie and Miss Emily watched as well.

"I just can't believe that Mama's treasured diamonds could still be hidden there." Miss Mamie said. "After all these years!"

Miss Emily was shocked as well. "So near, yet so far."

"I sure hope they are." John replied. "It all came together when Ep and me were talking this morning. He checked the records. That carnival worker died without ever coming to."

"Poor little darling, no wonder she's had nightmares." Jenny said.

"The poor dear." Miss Emily said softly.

"Wait a minute, what have we got here." Ep said. He pulled out a small cloth bag. Dusting it off, he opened to see what it contained. He smiled.

Sheriff Bridges handed the small bag to Elizabeth. "Elizabeth, Honey, why don't you take that to the Baldwin ladies." He said with a smile. "You're a hero, Sweetheart." He hugged the little girl.

She smiled and ran to the Baldwin sisters.

She handed the bag to Miss Mamie. She opened it. "Oh Sister, look!"

"Just as they were when dear Mama last wore them!" Miss Emily was stunned.

"I'd say the stolen goods have been identified and returned to the rightful owners." Ep smiled.

"Elizabeth Dear, you must have a reward." Miss Mamie smiled at her young neighbor. "Something really special."

"I think Elizabeth and the rest of us have already been rewarded." Olivia insisted.

Miss Mamie and Miss Emily hugged Elizabeth.

John-Boy smiled. "Ladies, how about a ride on the Ferris wheel?"

The ladies happily obliged.

"Elizabeth, would you ride the carousel with me?" Jenny asked.

"Sure." Elizabeth grinned, taking her sister-in-law's hand.

Mary Ellen came up with Ben and Darlene.

"This is what happens when you marry a doctor. You get to come to the carnival with your brother and his girlfriend!" Mary Ellen laughed.

"Well you could do a lot worse." Ben grinned.

"I know Ben was a real hero last night." Darlene smiled.

"No doubt about that." John agreed.

"You folks should be very proud of him." Darlene added.

"We always have been." John smiled.

Ben beamed.

"Mama, come on, the carnival's starting!" Mary Ellen exclaimed. It was like she was a little girl again.

Darlene, Olivia, and Mary Ellen went off to the rides, leaving Ben with his father.

John put an arm around his teenage son. "Ben, you're not wearing your new shoes this afternoon."

"I guess I just don't need them anymore." Ben flashed a smile.

John-Boy paid for his elderly neighbors to ride the Ferris wheel. Jason came up to him and stood next to him. "Last night really was a miracle, John-Boy."

"No doubt about that, Brother. I was so nervous I might lose both of them. I've been y'all's older brother so long, I want to protect you with all I have. But last night, there was nothing, absolutely nothing I could do."

Jason shook his head in amazement. "I'm just glad it's over."

"You and me both."

Mary Ellen ran up and grabbed John-Boy's arm, dragging him into a Ferris wheel car.

"Jason!" John-Boy called out.

Jason laughed. "You're on your own, Brother!"

John-Boy rolled his eyes, but enjoyed time at the carnival with his sister.

 _Never again was Elizabeth to experience the terrors brought on by that frightening memory. And never again would I attempt to unravel the mysteries of the unconscious mind. Once more, we could enjoy quiet, peaceful nights in our houses on Walton's Mountain._

"Ben, when you put your arm around a girl, are you supposed to ask her permission or anything?" Jim Bob asked.

"Of course not." Ben said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"How about when you kiss her?"

Ben shook his head. "It's like offering you the last piece of candy."

"I don't get it."

"Well, she's gonna feel silly if she says yes and bad if she says no."

"You sound pretty smart." Jim Bob said.

"Well I've been around."

"Around girls or around candy?" Jim Bob grinned.

Ben rolled his eyes. "Goodnight Jim Bob."

"Goodnight Ben. Goodnight everybody."


End file.
